Event Architects To Know in 2024 - Ashley Dukat, AMD Event Solutions
Ashley Dukat, of AMD Event Solutions, discusses how she builds and plans meetings and events in the evolving hospitality landscape of 2024.
Luke Whalin
Apr 26, 2024
Welcome to the HopSkip Planner Spotlight Series, where we highlight event professionals making waves across the events industry to share lessons learned and raise awareness of their invaluable contributions.
Name: Ashley Dukat
Company Name: AMD Event Solutions
Job Title: Sr. Event Marketing Strategist and Analyst
Can you briefly tell us about your background in event planning and how you got started in the industry?
I've always had a deep love for connecting people. What better way to advance human connection than events, right? At least, I thought so and promptly started building a career in hospitality. After graduating with a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management, I made my way in the service/supplier side from Restaurant Manager to Catering Manager to Director of Catering/Sales Manager. After fully understanding the inner mechanics of this segment, I tried my hand from the buyer side, pushing forward as Event Coordinator, Meeting Planner, Global Events Marketing Manager, and finally to Sr. Events Analyst, with a niche in technology.
How do you go about selecting the perfect hotel or venue? What factors weigh most heavily in your decision?
This really depends on the goals of the company, and in particular, the event type. Is it an incentive that's meant to reward people with solitude and relaxation in a spacious resort? Is it a meeting that needs to promote engagement which would require vast, open meeting space and is walkable to night life? Or, maybe it's a conference that is highlighting a specific product and needs to be in a location that that enforces a certain theme. It's all relative.
What does the initial planning phase of securing a venue look like for you? Could you walk us through your initial steps?
What common financial challenges often arise when organizing an event, what strategies do you use to mitigate them, and how do you avoid them?
First (as touched upon in the last question), I need to make sure that the location and venue fit the needs and goals of the event. Once that is confirmed, I need to make sure there is a connection between myself/the planner, and the Sales Manager. Business, especially this industry, is all about relationships and mutual understanding and respect. Then it comes down to negotiation: what is a fair offer for both sides? Finally, I present the offer to the client to make sure everyone is on the same page, and all needs are being met.
Similar to building or refurbishing a house, there will always be bumps in the road
the key to success is how you overcome them.
The most common occurrences are overcommitting on room and spatial needs, needing to adjust the dates and therefore accepting a higher room rate due to demand/occupancy, and (as the saying goes) "wanting champagne on a beer budget". My strategy is to always manage expectations and anticipate these challenges. I try to think of every possible scenario that could arise and preemptively provide a solution. I make sure the client is well aware of and fully understands the contract terms and what the consequences could be. It's my job to be the expert in this field and fill in any and all gaps the client may not be aware of while acting in their best interest.
How do you leverage technology to boost efficiency during the planning, execution, and post-event stages? What does your “event tech stack” look like? (For example, using Survey Monkey for surveying attendees post-event)
This is my JAM! Like it or not, we are no longer in the midst of the digital transformation
we're already there. Now, we're moving to a world of artificial intelligence. Personally, I strive to embrace this new world while not compromising the integrity of classic human interaction, which is what events are all about. The type of technology used for efficiency is largely based on the resources available to the client, as many platforms have more features than others. Regardless, my ideal scenario is to utilize an in-depth registration tool that smoothly runs several granular reports (rooming, dietary needs, breakout preferences, etc.) and is exciting and vibrant to look at from an attendee's perspective. On-site, I look for something that features gamification to engage attendees, directional tools and resources, streaming capabilities, and, if applicable, spaces for branding. A post-event survey is always necessary to collect data and measure sentiment.
Do you use frameworks, templates, or other tools/documents to help you stay organized and manage the event planning process?
Who doesn't?! If I'm not using an official event platform, I live in Excel or Google Sheets. One standard I do have across the board is the initial determination of event goals, strategy, and KPIs/ROI.
Do you have any specific strategies or insights for enhancing the attendee experience at your events?
Yes! First, I always dig deep into the attendees' demographics and the type of event. Is this an association group attending a convention about their favorite hobby? Is this a tech conference promoting cyber security? Identify the commonalities, THEN look for engagement opportunities. In general, I look for places, tools, and experiences that are user-friendly, local culture-forward, unique, and exclusive.
Effective communication is crucial in any planning process. How do you ensure you and your event stakeholders are always on the same page?
Manage (clap) those (clap) expectations (clap). My job is to work WITH the client
they should also have a sense of ownership over the planning process and a strong feeling of trust in me as a consultant. To do this, I present several different options to the client and ask for their feedback. If an issue arises, I keep calm and present the problem with a proposed solution. I know I will not have an answer at the expected time, so I kindly give them an update and a specific date of when they can expect the answer.
How do you facilitate networking opportunities among attendees? Are there any specific tactics or strategies that you recommend?
What's your go-to plan for handling emergencies or unexpected situations during an event?
Can you share an example of a significant challenge you faced while planning an event conference and how you overcame it?
Again, this is such a subjective question, but I think it all boils down to psychology. Most people need a little kick in the bum to initiate a conversation or something there to talk about (besides the weather). Sometimes, I will break the audience out into smaller groups and give them a topic to discuss. Or, in a more informal setting, we'll start with something silly and ask people to introduce themselves by stating their favorite fruit and why (or something of the equivalent). Maybe we'll buy out a suite at a sports arena so people can talk about the game. Either way, I really try not to place strangers in a closed box with loud music as their only source of entertainment.
Anticipate the unexpected and prepare a solution ahead of time. It's as simple as that. In any case, keep calm- attendees, venue staff, and your team will match the energy you're giving off. If you can make it so the attendee has no idea what's happening, do it. Course correction is sometimes a necessity.
Oof, there are A LOT. The one that comes to mind is getting ready for an industry exhibition and having my entire skid missing for two days. It was coming down to crunch time, and with three hours until show time, we still had nothing. I stopped by the exhibitor help desk and requested any additional furniture rentals that would match our theme. Then, I made my way to the on-site FedEx office to see what kind of last-minute branding we could get. I called my manager to make her aware of the situation and shared my solution. Finally, I met with the on-site team (booth staff), explained the situation, and asked them to play into the theme. It actually worked out pretty great, given the circumstances.
What are the typical steps you take in the post-event phase?
1. Thank your team and the venue staff
2. Collect as much data on-site as you can
3. Input the data (quantitative and qualitative) and scrub it
4. Reconcile the budget and identify your variance between budgeted and actual costs
5. Send out a survey within three days post-event, and ask the hard questions you may not want the answers to
6. Analyze the data to make the best decision for the following year
7. Present a post-event debrief to key stakeholders
What key performance indicators (KPIs) do you use to evaluate the success of an event?
KPIs (relative):
-New and advanced pipeline
-MQLs
-Number of customer meetings
-Number of partner meetings
-Survey sentiment
-NPS scores
-Engagement stats
-Key messaging pull-through
-Paid social media
Metrics:
-Number of registrants
-New vs. returning attendees
-New vs. returning sponsors
-Turnover
-Badge scans
-Number of speaking sessions
-Number of attendees
-Survey sentiment
-Click-through rates
-Organic social media
...to name a few.
What advice would you offer someone just starting their career in the meetings and events industry?
This isn't a "one size fits all" kind of career. Make it your own and love what you do.